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Lettuce is one of many crops that aphids target. These small green bugs feed by sucking the sap from your lettuce. That damages it, weakening it, and is highly likely to reduce your yield.
In short, left unchecked, these critters can cost you a considerable amount of money.
We will help you discover how to deal with aphids and, more importantly, what steps you can take to prevent them from becoming an issue.
Why Aphids on Lettuce Are an Issue
Aphids are small. They can be found in a wide variety of colors; ranging from green right through to pink. Unfortunately for lettuce growers, their most common color is green so it’s not surprising they are often difficult to spot.
In addition, they hide in crevices, often in the head of your lettuce. It makes them difficult to spot, target, and eliminate.
Of course, if you don’t deal with them, they can discolor and even kill your lettuce. That’s why they need to be taken seriously.
You should note, an infestation can happen fast: these little insects multiply very quickly. Within 7 days of birth, an aphid can start producing offspring. They produce as many as 12 a day for up to 30 days. That’s approximately 360 new pests a month, and that’s just from one of these critters.
Identifying Plant Damage
Aphids can cause millions of dollars worth of damage. For example, the 2014 sugarcane aphid outbreak in South Texas cost farmers $38.78 million. That’s just the loss from damaged crops.
The earlier you detect damage to your crops, the easier it will be to deal with the issue and prevent a build-up from happening.
The most obvious sign of damage is curling leaves and strange black markings. Discoloration is common as the life is sucked from your lettuce. It’s also common to see a noticeable residue (known as honeydew). It’s sugary and sticky, which makes it attractive to ants. If you notice ants running up and down the leaves, then look closer to see your pest problem.
Any or all of these signs suggest you need to reevaluate your approach to pest management.
Of course, you should also verify their presence, check the leaves for these small bugs, you may need a magnifying glass.
Aphids are generally smaller than an eighth of an inch with a rounded abdomen. Most are wingless aphids (although some winged aphids have clear wings that are difficult to spot). All have two tubes emerging from their backs. This is unique to this species, allowing you to distinguish them from other potential problems.
As you can tell from their reproductive rate and the damage they can cause, the quicker you deal with the issue, the better.
How do You Get Rid of Aphids on Lettuce?
There are several methods of removing or eliminating aphids on lettuce:
Manual Removal
As the name suggests, you can deal with these pests by removing them manually.
All you need to do is use a dry paper towel to pick the creatures off your lettuce and then crush them. Of course, this is not a viable option for large-scale growing and should only be considered when the infestation is small and you don’t have many vegetables to worry about.
Introduce Natural Enemies
Enemies of aphids include ladybugs, green lacewings, and hummingbirds. These are predators and will literally eat your problem.
Of course, it takes time to introduce these natural enemies, and you need to make sure they don’t migrate and cause further issues, such as starting to infest any other agricultural produce.
Use Insecticides
By far and away, the most practical solution for any commercial grower is to use a pesticide.
There are different types of insecticides. We recommend a natural option, you’ll see why shortly.
Dust With Diatomaceous Earth
Dusting your leaves, especially the underside, is a good way to hit your intended targets. It literally cuts their exoskeleton, causing them to dehydrate and die. Unfortunately, it’s impractical to use on a large scale and is known to be a lung and skin irritant.
Why a Natural, Residue-Free Insecticide is Your Best Option
When looking into aphid control, it’s essential you understand that not all insecticidal treatments are the same. There are three main types:
- Oil based
- Chemical based
- Water based
Unfortunately, oil and chemical-based options can clog pores, causing further harm. They can also be dangerous to the soil. Specifically, the oil and chemicals can inhibit soil biological activity, meaning your lettuce struggles for nutrients.
Here at EPM, we offer Protection Plus™ to eliminate your unwanted visitors at all stages of their life cycle. It’s water-based, has been shown to have the highest 1st application kill rate in the industry, and offers the following additional benefits:
No Harm To The Environment
Protection Plus™ is tested in an independent lab. Results show that it is free of over 490 toxic metals and chemicals.
It also contains no oil or detergent, making it safe for all types of food, from tomatoes to corn, at all stages of the growth cycle. The tests also show that it won’t harm aquatic life.
No Harm To The Plant
One of the biggest issues with systemic treatments is that they infiltrate the plant. Creatures eating the plant will ingest the toxins and die. It’s effective, but it can be harmful to the plant and everything that comes into contact with it.
On the other hand, non-systemic contact insecticides may avoid infiltrating the plant but can still pose risks, especially if they contain harsh chemicals or leave behind a residue. Residues, even from natural ingredients, can be dangerous to pollinators and pets.
Protection Plus™ is a non-systemic, contact insecticide that leaves no harmful residue and contains no harsh chemicals. This makes it safer for plants, pollinators, pets, and the surrounding environment.
No Risk of Insect Resistance
EPM’s Protection Plus™ doesn’t soak into your crops or leave a residue. Its mode of action is contact-based: when pests are sprayed directly, the formula breaks down their outer layer, causing the skin to collapse and leading to suffocation. Most pests will die within 24 hours of exposure.
Traditional insecticides often rely on chemical or systemic action. They are absorbed by the plant and either:
- Poisons the insect when it feeds (systemic), or
- Disrupts its nervous system or hormones through chemical pathways (contact or ingestion).
The chemicals in these insecticides will target specific biological functions within the pest. Insects can survive low doses of these chemicals, and over generations, develop genetic mutations that make them less sensitive to the active ingredient. This leads to insecticide resistance, which is a major issue in modern agriculture.
Non-systemic insecticides like Protection Plus™ avoid resistance because they don’t target internal biological processes. The insects die, not because of a chemical imbalance, but because of a physical coating they can’t overcome.
Since Protection Plus™ works in this way, it needs to be applied regularly to break the infestation cycle. Many insects reproduce rapidly. If even a few are missed during the initial application (or if they lay eggs before dying), those eggs can hatch and restart the infestation. Regular reapplication increases the chances of making contact with insects at all life stages, including eggs and newly-hatched larvae.
Residue-Free
Residue on anything is off-putting, especially when your customers are checking for quality.
In addition, residue means there is still some of the product on and in your vegetation, which increases the risk of harm to consumers.
At EPM, we offer Protection Plus™. It is a fast-drying natural insecticide and doesn’t leave a residue.
Applying EPM’s Protection Plus™
Everyone is different, that’s why we’ve ensured Protection Plus™ can be applied in a multitude of ways. We’ve even created our useful SOP guide to make it easy for you.
Here are the options:
Foliar Spray
Simply spray the leaves, ensuring you cover the undersides where lettuce aphids tend to hide. This allows insects to come into contact with the insecticide.
Soil Drench
We recommend periodic soil drenchings to prevent biofilm buildup on your roots. This will help to keep your produce healthy and eliminate all sorts of invasive pests.
Biofilm prevents all types of agricultural produce from absorbing nutrients. This weakens your harvest, making it a more attractive and easier target for all types of predators.
Take The First Step To Controlling The Aphids On Your Lettuce Crops
Natural pest solutions are effective against larvae and full-grown critters without damaging the environment or your produce. If your business has built a reputation for natural lettuce, our Protection Plus™ will allow you to maintain your customer base while taking even better care of them.
Many unwanted visitors reproduce rapidly. Taking early action is essential. We recommend you try Protection Plus™ today. It’s likely to make a big difference to the quality and quantity of your yield.
Take a look at Protection Plus™ and get in touch with us today.